With a win and a break in tow, the Carolina Panthers head into Seattle for a Week 14 showdown against the Seahawks.
And to come away with another win, here are four matchups that’ll be key in making it all happen.
Panthers RB D'Onta Foreman vs Seahawks LB Jordyn Brooks
A big part of preparation for any matchup is locating a team’s weakness and learning how to attack it. And for the Panthers, they must attack the Seahawks’ run defense.
Seattle is giving up a whopping 4.9 yards per carry—the fifth-highest average in the NFL. Heck, they’ve given up 615 yards on the ground over the past three weeks, including a 229-yard performance to Las Vegas’ Josh Jacobs.
If the Panthers want to find success this week, they will need to do so through the running game early and often. The key to that will be Foreman, who is excellent at taking chunks of carries and churning them into production.
He will need to battle the Pro Bowl backer in Brooks and company to get past the second level and rip off big runs against a susceptible defense.
Panthers WR DJ Moore vs. Seahawks CB Tariq Woolen
Last week, Moore reconnected with quarterback Sam Darnold and rejuvenated his 2022 campaign—going for 103 yards and a score against cornerback Patrick Surtain II and a tough Denver defense. He’ll have another tough test in Woolen.
The fifth-round pick out of the University of Texas at San Antonio has exploded on the scene, as he’s currently tied for a league-leading six interceptions. At 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, along with a a 40-yard dash time of 4.26 seconds, Woolen presents a challenge for any wideout.
So, like he did last week, Moore will need to use his experience and agility to best another young stud.
Panthers DC Al Holcomb vs Seahawks QB Geno Smith
The Panthers defense has been going through a transition since early October, when the team moved on from Phil Snow as their defensive coordinator and promoted Al Holcomb. It has taken time to get where they are now, as they haven’t given up more than 15 points in each of the last three weeks.
And speaking of transitions, Seattle’s Smith is going through a phenomenal one in 2022. An MVP candidate, Smith has proven he’s the clear leader of the offense, is not scared to take shots with his arm and understands how to take advantage of a defense.
Holcomb will need to be creative and smart in dealing with Smith, who has turned the Seahawks offense into one of the more potent units in the game.
Panthers CB Jaycee Horn vs Seahawks WR DK Metcalf
Big, talented, freakish, and fast. These words could describe both Horn and Metcalf—who should see plenty of one another on Sunday.
The 6-foot-4, 236-pound Metcalf is a literal track star and one of the best athletes in the entire league. And the 6-foot-1, 200-pound Horn—who looks like he was built in a cornerback factory—isn’t too shabby himself.
So while Horn is at a physical disadvantage, as would any corner against Metcalf, he’ll need to utilize his elite technical work to take Metcalf down a peg. He will need to limit Metcalf’s big-play ability to keep this game tight.
